Tomorrow's Ivalice
by A-Mystery-Indeed
Summary: A much milder version of what I at first had in mind. Ivalice will soon be overrun by evil forces and new heros must arise to face the oncoming challenge. Rated teen for war related material.
1. Prologue

**Tomorrow's Ivalice**

**By: A-Mystery-Indeed**

Disclaimer: I'm the proud owner of a Playstation 2, but I do not own anything created by the makers and producers of Final Fantasy 12.

_**Prologue: A New Threat**_

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Never in the history of all of Ivalice had the Viera been rained on. The morning of the beginning of spring, the clouds shattered and let forth a massive amount of water droplets. Usually, the trees in the Viera village would prevent the passage of this element from entering. However, for some inexplicable reason, that day the leaves parted and permitted access to the precipitation that poured down from above.

To Mjrn it was a bad omen. That of which would bring forth the hidden evil still lurking in that present day Ivalice. The Viera were no longer safe in their haven among the wood. They were as vulnerable as the rest of the world around them was to every change and disaster.

As newfound leader (after the unexpected death of her sister), Mjrn felt the obligation to protect those that she watched over. So, she placed more wood warders in the jungle around the village and readied the sentries already inside their home. She wondered with great apprehension if anything really would happen, and especially if they were prepared. Mjrn had seen the evils of the fallen Arcadian Empire, she had seen the death and destruction it had caused the living things around it. The rain was a bad sign and she was sure of it.

That night, Mjrn tried desperately to speak with the wood, but found it to be silent…

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Penelo placed the last tiny purple flower into her silky blond hair. She inspected herself in the mirror and nodded with approval. Vaan had promised to take her dancing tonight in the southern end of Low Town. He was extremely clumsy when it came down to it, but she had made him promise before he could worm himself out of the situation. The glint of an opal ring on the dresser caught her eye and she slipped it onto her delicate fingers.

The night was chilly; the sure sign of a coming rainstorm, but Penelo was too excited to notice the cold. On her way to Vaan's apartment, she noticed a well-dressed man standing outside the Sandsea, looking a bit lost. She felt herself sympathizing for him and decided to try and help.

"Hello," she said after approaching him. "I'm Penelo, are you lost, sir?" She realized with a stifled chuckle that she was still calling older men "sir" from when she helped Migelo at his shop. _I suppose it's true that old habits die hard_, she thought.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Would you mind escorting me to the nearest inn?" He asked in a frustrated manner, a thick accent, unidentifiable to Penelo, shaping his words.

"No sir, I cannot escort you, but I can tell you how to get there," she replied flatly.

"Oh yes, excuse my rude behavior. I did not think when I asked you of such a task. I do hope you will forgive me. I know that it sounded quite irregular for such a request," he pushed back a loose lock of ebony colored hair. His face began to turn a bright shade of crimson.

Penelo smiled warmly, taking his flushed face as suitable reason to trust him. "The Inn is at the top of the curve in the North End. I've never been there myself since I am a resident here, but I've seen it as I walk to the Bazaar to trade. I am walking in that direction, but am turning to the left as soon as we enter the North End. I can walk you that far, at least."

The man bowed in the most formal of ways, finally rising to straighten his cuff links. "Right, shall we then?"

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It was past dark before Vaan began to worry. Penelo was to show at sunset, but she was not there. It was unlike Penelo to be late, especially since she always chastised him for doing it most of the time. What was she up to? He couldn't help but wonder if maybe she was already there, forgetting to meet him at the apartment. No matter, he would just go to her.

But when Vaan entered Low Town, everyone he talked to told him that they had not seen her, and of course, after careful inspection of the South End, he realized she wasn't there.

Dread filled his body. What had happened to her? Maybe she was at his apartment now.

He ran all the way back, but found she had not shown up in his absence. His heart began to pound. Something was wrong, Penelo was never late, she wasn't at Low Town and she hadn't told him that she wanted to cancel. Vaan sat down on his mulberry colored couch with a _frump_ and a perplexed look on his face. Then he saw a white envelope on the table.

_Someone was in my house…_ he stumbled over to the table, _and they may still be here._

He opened the letter anyway and read its contents.

_**Once you read this, you may not have much time left. Your friend is not hurt, but she will soon be if you do not help her. I'm writing this as a witness, and not an enemy. I don't know where they took her, but I know that she needs your help. Meet me at the Clan Hall. I'll find you.**_

The note drifted to the ground. Questions flooded his mind. What did they want with Penelo? What provoked such an action? What was _going on_?

After a quick look around the apartment, Vaan shook his head and grabbed his diamond sword leaving through the front door, thinking of nothing but getting Penelo back.

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**Author's Note: Please review.**


	2. Chapter One

**Tomorrow's Ivalice**

**By: A-Mystery-Indeed**

_**Chapter One: A Pirate's Life for Them**_

Disclaimer: I am not privileged to own the famous Final Fantasy series or even the Final Fantasy 12 game. I am fortunate enough to own and play it, therefore enabling me to create this story with the permission of those who have indeed, produced it. I will, however, take claim over the characters that I have formed so far and the characters I will soon generate. These are mine for the using and not for the distributing. Thank you.

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Cattails swayed with the breeze that carried the scent of distant jasmine, fully blooming in the wood surrounding the lake. The moon brightened the peaceful forest, giving the night a calmness that would invite one to stay outside, rather than retire to one's home for fear of the creatures that might be lurking in the shadows. A male nightingale belted forth an enticing concoction of melodious notes, singing with a backdrop of orchestral crickets.

Penelo, a charming young woman, was busily brushing out her braids, using her reflection in the crystal clear lake to do so. She sat on her feet, her knees bent and her back curved from trying to see herself. She barely noticed the splendor of the evening as a result of her anxiousness. She was awaiting the arrival of her companion.

They had been out scavenging the forest for supplies, a necessity when surviving in the lands unpopulated by Humes or other citizens of Ivalice. Mostly food, but herbs and certain plants were necessary for particular salves and ointments.

The Feywood, a cold forest with rare monsters and huge trees, was their current location. Penelo and her group of friends had journeyed to and explored nearly every corner of Ivalice. These once uncharted lands, forgotten in the mists and time's weave of events, were now only ventured into by those few who dared to risk the still highly unknown. It was uncommon for anyone outside of Penelo's renowned group of friends, those of which she hadn't seen since the fall of the Arcadian Empire, to risk entering these ancient realms. It was for good reason, considering the perils lingering around every corner.

Vaan finally appeared from behind the trunk of a colossal tree, putting Penelo at ease. Inside a wicker basket he held a generous quantity of food and the usual herbs for stings and scrapes. He set it down on the left of her tiny feet and began making a campfire.

"What took you so long? Did everything go okay?" Penelo turned from her task to look into the boy's eyes. After he flashed her a reassuring smile, she began to braid her shiny locks, intertwining a blue and a white ribbon.

"I had to fight off some of those Deadly Nightshade's. They were after the berries I had picked. But no matter, they left behind some valuable loot. We can buy new supplies in the cities now," Vaan placed the last dried up stick on the fire and struck a match. Carefully he attended to it, fanning the tiny flame until its hungry appetite engulfed the rest of the sticks and grew into a roaring blaze.

"Vaan," Penelo whispered into the darkness. She was finished with her golden hair and seated herself next to her friend. "What are we looking for again?"

"Something we should have taken the first time in the ancient city beyond the Feywood." Vaan smiled

"Nethicite? Are you crazy? What would we do with that?" Penelo whispered, as if all of Ivalice could hear her.

Vaan shrugged. "Use it, of course. We're sky pirates remember? We could use it to power our ship when we run out of fuel or we could sell it, for money."

Penelo shook her head, her braids moving as she did. "No, Vaan. You _know_ how dangerous that stuff is! Do you want to have to battle _another_ power hungry empire? Let's just gather up some more loot and go home. We've charted enough of the Feywood."

Penelo saw Vaan bite his lip. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we shouldn't. All right, let's go back to Rabanastre then. But first, we should get some sleep. I'll take first watch."

The next morning, the sunrays glinted down to the snow covered forest floor. Penelo was fast asleep, Vaan sitting upright and alert beside her. The fire had been smothered by the battering wind that had swept through during the long night.

Penelo finally stirred from her slumber and sat up. She peered at Vaan through sleepy eyes and then took in the surroundings. "Why didn't you wake me to take the next watch?"

Vaan turned to her as if seeing her for the first time in his life. "What? Oh, right. I didn't feel it necessary to wake you. I wasn't tired."

Penelo stared at him again, this time with a look of sheer suspicion. "Did anything happen last night? Did you have to fight off any enemies?"  
Vaan shook his head. "No, nothing happened. Not even the Deadly Nightshades came. Want some breakfast?" He seated himself gingerly beside the burnt out fire and began to relight it.

Penelo got up from her sleeping bag and undertook the tedious task of rolling it back up. It took her a considerable amount of time before she was finished tying the bag up. By the time she had wrestled it into the right position, Vaan was offering her a toasted mushroom. She took it gladly and bit into the steaming fodder. It had an odd taste, but she enjoyed it nevertheless.

She watched as Vaan toasted his own mushroom. The morning sun warmed the ground gradually. The snow was slushy and muddy. A bird called in the distance for its mate, sounding indiscriminately, awaiting an answer.

When they were finished with their breakfast, they began to break camp. Penelo grabbed her things willingly, feeling homesick after their lengthy journey. They had taken the long way, hoping to visit the Viera when they passed through the jungle, but were denied access due to a security breech. They hadn't figured out what happened, so they had no choice but to continue on their way to the Feywood. And now they were taking the gate crystal back to their home. All in all, Penelo was relieved they were finally going to Rabanastre. Maybe she wasn't built for this sky pirating, after all.

They had to pass back through the Feywood and into the jungle again. The wood warders would then escort them to the gate crystal. It would be simple from there, they would teleport to the city and then they would sell their loot and live "richly" for a while, blowing it all on luxuries they couldn't afford otherwise until they ran out of money again.

They passed through into the area of the Feywood where the path to the jungle was. Penelo heard a low growl from behind her. She turned to see an animal resembling a wolf baring its teeth at them. Vaan pulled forth his sword and Penelo produced her pole from inside her haversack. The wolf began to circle them, snapping angrily.

Penelo was the first to move, she ran at the dog, swinging her pole expertly. She landed a nasty blow to the head, but it managed to recover with great speed. The wolf came back and bit the pole with its teeth, dragging her with it. Vaan took his sword and swung it at the wolf, but it dodged it. Penelo yanked hard at her pole, but the dog wouldn't let go. Then Vaan was able to reach the wolf and swung his sword. The dog split in half at the waist, blood spurting everywhere. Penelo ripped the pole from the dog's dead mouth. Vaan sheathed his sword and Penelo put her pole back in her haversack.

When they finally reached the jungle, none of the monsters seemed to be out yet. Penelo walked delicately across the jungle paths, so as not to disturb the lurking fiends. Vaan followed behind her, as he always did. It wasn't long before a wood warder made her presence known to them.

"Halt! State your names, humes," the warder said, pointing a javelin at them warningly.

"Vaan and Penelo," Penelo said quickly, wanting to avoid confrontation or suspicion. "We're friends of Mjrn and Fran."

The warder withdrew her javelin and asked, "What is it that you wish to obtain in our jungle?"

"We would like access to the gate crystal, so that we may be on our way back to Rabanastre," Vaan declared confidently. "Would you permit us to pass?"

"I will escort you there, humes," the warder said without an ounce of kindness. She was one of the Viera that were still suspicious of all the humes.

"Thank you," Penelo said, as the warder began to turn her back and walk along the path to the crystal.

It took them nearly a quarter of the day before they finally reached the place. There were two more wood warders there, watching them intently.

"Perjn, what are they doing here?" One of the warders asked.

"They wish to use the gate crystal," the warder that was escorting Penelo and Vaan replied.

"Well, get rid of them before Mjrn sees you," the other warder said sharply.

"Right," the one addressed as Perjn turned to them and pointed to the crystal. "You are free to go."

Penelo and Vaan nodded and then touched the gate crystal. Vaan brought forth a teleport stone from his haversack and held it up, parallel to the gate crystal. Then everything went hazy for a second. Then Rabanastre appeared before their eyes.

There was a long line at the south end, trailing from the door into Rabanastre. Several of Queen Ashe's guards were standing watch over the gate, checking identification and goods being brought into the city.

"Let's go through Lowtown. I bet we can find a way into the Bazaar from there," Vaan led Penelo over to a gate down into Lowtown. It opened with a thundering boom. They entered the darkened streets below Rabanastre, walking by traders and shop owners. Several loose orphans were parading the streets, wreaking havoc on older women and display stands as they shot past them.

Penelo turned down a dead end alley and came to her apartment. She unlocked the door and entered inside. The house was tidy, with white, light blue and light purple wallpaper, considerably contrasting with Lowtown's darkness and neon signs. She placed her haversack against the wall and walked over to her refrigerator. The hum of the machine was the only sound in the small apartment. Vaan seated himself on a comfy couch and turned on the television.

Penelo turned on the stove and put a pot on the burner. She started adding in ingredients to make stew. The aroma was enticing as she finished, stirring it patiently. She watched Vaan rise from the couch and go over to the cupboard to get a bowl.

"So after we eat, we're going to trade our goods at the bazaar?" Penelo asked Vaan.

"Yeah," he replied. They ate as quickly as possible, eager to receive their pay for their hard work. As soon as they had gulped down the last of the food, the two placed their dishes in the sink. Penelo covered the soup and placed it in the refrigerator, then turned off the stove and television. They went outside and walked across Lowtown to the North End entrance.

From there, they walked around the curve to the bazaar. Many people were there, trading already. A moogle came up to Penelo and offered her a handshake, which she gladly accepted.

"Hello, I'm Bristle, the royal messenger for her majesty the queen. I have come looking for a certain Penelo and a certain Vaan? Is that your names?" The moogle asked. His cute little face was scrunched up in question.

"Yes, sir, we are they. What is it that our queen wishes of us?" Penelo asked, concerned.

"She has a note for you," the moogle handed the envelope to Penelo and waited patiently for her to break open the royal seal and look at the information inside.

It read:

**Dearest Vaan and Penelo,**

**It has been quite the longest time since I saw you last, I do hope you are doing well. **

**It has come to my attention that some questionable information has arisen from my trusted spy in the northeast. It appears that a former Arcadian resident has let slip that there may be another heir to the Arcadian throne. An empress by the name of Vamier has been awaiting the death of Vayne to inherit the throne. She is older, by a year, than Larsa, making her the next eligible heir. I fear that she will become the next ruler of the fallen empire instead of our trusted Larsa. We must find a way to figure out what her motives are for taking over the throne. I fear the worst.**

**Contact me as soon as possible,**

**Ashe**

"Thank you, Bristle," Penelo said to the moogle. He nodded and bowed, then began to walk off in another direction, toward a house in the distance.

"Looks like we better pay a visit to the palace," Vaan said. Penelo nodded. The last thing they needed was the rise of the Arcadian empire.

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**Author's Note: Thank you to my reviewers, treasureplanet-gurl and CrimsonCrome. I do hope that everyone might find time to spare to read their spectacular stories. Please review. I am aware it's slow right now. I'm having trouble keeping this idea fueled. Also, I know the characters are **_**out**_** of character, so please be patient.**


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